Clutch



Jan. 31, 1933. w. GJRUECKART ET AL 1,895,822

CLUTCH Filed Sept. 22. 19:50 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 31, 1933. w, RUECKARTET AL 1,895,822

CLUTCH Filed Sept. 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 31, 1933UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER G. RUECKALRT AND ELMER B. ANDERSON,on nresrnme, 'rnxas CLUTCH Application filed September 22, 1930. SerialNo. 483,655.

This invention relates to clutches, of the one-way or ratchet type. 1 1

The invention has particular application to clutches of the typeemploying a plurality of balls which are caused to automaticallyestablish connection between two parts rotating at different speeds, andis herein shown as employed in asliding gear transmission for motorvehicles. In the particu lar application of the clutch hereinillustrated,the elements thereof are utilized to permit the automaticoverrunning of a. driven part relatively to a driving part in a slidinggear transmission to permit what is known as free wheeling, or coastingwithout release of the usually manuallyoperated clutch. A form oftransmission of the type referred to is illustrated herein in connectionwith the automatic oneway clutch which forms th subject of the presentinvention.

The arrangement of clutching devices for effecting selective freewheeling disclosed herein, forms no part of the present invention, thesame being shown, described and claimed in my co-pending application,Serial No. 483,654, filed of even date herewith.

An important feature of the invention as herein claimed is found in anautomatic clutch of the type referred to which embodies 0 a tubularmember provided exteriorly with a plurality of grooves extendingcircumferentially of the member and increasing in depth from one end tothe other thereof, in connection with a plurality of balls movable insaid grooves, a surrounding ball cage in the form of a sleeved.extension from a clutch element, and a concentric surrounding portion ofthe driven shaft or-member which is provided upon its interior surfacewith a "plurality of longitudinal grooves or depressions. A spiralspring or its equivalent forms a connection between theball cage andtubular clutch member. Upon rotation of the ball cagethe balls will moveoutwardly by centrifugal force and, through the inertia of the parts,the balls and cage will move relatively to the grooved clutch member,thereby elfecting a positive locking enga ement between the drivinganddriven mem ers of the clutch and transmission assembly. The spiralspring having been placed under ten-. sion, as soon as the conditions ofrelative speed of rotation have been been changed so, that the drivenmember will outrun the driving member, the relatively movable parts ofthe clutch will reverse in their movements and permit the balls tomove'into position for unclutching the parts, thus permitting freewheeling or coasting of the motor vehicle without release of theordinary pedal controlled clutch. a

Other features of the invention than those hereinspecificallyreferred'to, such as'novel combinations of parts and details ofconstruction, will be best understood from the following descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:I i

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation certainparts 0 of a. sliding geartransmission inconnection with which the present invention is used;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 ofFig. 4; r 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of'Fig.3; A 7 I Fig. 5 is asectional view similar. to Fig; 4:, but showing theparts in difierentpositions;

' Fig. 6 is a-transverse sectional view on the line 66, Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is'a view showing, in perspective, the'severalparts of the clutchand related transmission elements disassembled.

As shown'a'nd described inv our co-pending applicationhereinbefore'referredto, the parts of the gear transmissionasillustrated herein comprise, in connection with a drive shaft 1 and adriven shaft 8, a toothed gear 2 which 3 is splined-on the shaft 1, forsliding movement thereon bya fork 5 engaging a groove between twocollars 6 and 7 on the'ge'ar2, The shaft 8 may be connectedto the wheelsof the motor vehicle in any referred or usual manner, as through theilferentialf Said shaft 8 is provid'edwith a recess 9 and. an

externally toothed clutch member 10, and as.

herein shown the recess 9 is. provided with a a plurality flongitudinally t ndi lm spaced shallow grooves or depressions 20.

The structure herein described, namely, the

shaft 8 having recess 9 provided with the *grooves 20, constitutes thedriven member of 6 tween said parts, as will he transmission to which adriving element for applying, power from the motor is adapted to beclutched or unclutched, in accordance with varying conditions of speedratio be be hereinafter more fully described. v e.

The gear 2 is provided in its rear face with a circumferential recess 24surrounded by va plurality ofteeth 12. The recess containing the teeth12 is of su'liicient size to slide over and efiect meshing engagementbetween the teeth 12 and theteeth of a clutch member 18. The, member 13is herein shown as formed as part of a sleeve 14 which is provided withz a, plurality of holes 15 and forms the ball cage. The inner end of thesleeve 14 has an inturn'ed, annularflange 16. Enclosed within and snuglyfitting the bore of the sleeve 14 is a cylindrical ball-carrying clutchmember'17 provided with a plurality of inclined grooves 18, whichincrease in depth from their end portions 31, to their opposite endsv32. Seated within these grooves 18 are the clutch balls 19 which latter,inthe position of parts shown in Fig.4, are located in the deepestportions of the grooves 18 and in line vwith the holes 15 in the" sleeve14' and the depressions 20 in the inner face-of recess 9. In thisposition of the parts the sleeve 14 l is unclutched from the shaft 8. Va

When the driving elementf13 with its sleeve 14 is rotated throughapplication of power from the motor through gear 2 the sleeve 14, due to'the inerti'a of the parts, is 7; caused to travel a short distancerelatively to 40 the clutch member 17, therebybringin g the shallowportions of the; grooves 18apposite the'holes 15 and holding the ballsin clutching engagement with the parts 8, 14,, and 17, as shown in Fig.5. The inner end of the clutch member 17 is provided with an annularrecess 28 to receive a spiral spring 21, whose two, ends arerespectively anchored to the flange-16 and the opposite end faceportionof the clutch member17. This spring is put un- 5 der a slighttension when the clutch parts move from the postion shown in Fig.4,tothat shown in Fig, 5 which representsthe positive or driving positionof the clutch. When the driven member of the clutch is'increased in"speed beyond that of the driving member, the

shaft 8 will overrun the 'sleeve'14 thereby'permitting the'member 17 andclutch balls to fallback'into the position shown 'inFig. 4,

Zpermittingfree movement of the'driven shaft independentlyof the clutchdriving member 13and itssleeve 14'." Such position of the :parts; isthat which they originally occupied,

as illustrated in- The clutch member '17 is herein shown as being linedwith a brass bushing 30.

tively to member 17 against the tension of spring 21 to lock the partsin the position Qshown in- Fig. 5, the relative-movement between 14 and17 being permitted by'the inertia of the parts, and the fact that theclutch member 17 is so fitted to the sleeve as to permit easy rotativemovement of the member 17.

It will also be seen that when the drivenflelement 8 increases its speedbeyond that of the driving element 14,5thec1utch members vwill reversetheir relative positions from that shown in Fig, 5,'back to the positionshown in v I Fig; 4, thus permitting overrunning of the clutch-drivenmember 8,. the reaction: of spring 21 assisting in the restoration ofthe parts to the latter position. The teeth 10 may be engaged'bylthe'teeth 12*of the sliding "gear through continued movement to theright of the latter, when it is desired to omitthe clutch connectionbetween the driving and driven parts of the transmission, 'but thisfeature forms no part of the y. present invention, being claimed in our00- I pending application above referred to. Changes may be made in thedetails of construction or relative, arrangement ofthe parts as shownwithout departing from the scope of the invention, provided suchvariations, are within claims. What we claim is:

.1. In a clutch, the combinatio'n of a driv- 1, ing'membe'r having an'apertured sleeve, a clutch member enclosed within said sleeve andprovided with'a plural-itypof grooves the contemplation ofthe followingice of progressively increasing depth, a clutch member" surrounding saidsleeve and" provided-with a-plurality of longitudinal de- 'pres'sions,and clutch ball elements arrangedin said grooves and movable into andout of said depresslons.

2. In'a clutch, the combination of'anian-Q nular clutchimember providedwith a plurality of circumferential groovesof gradually increasingdepth,a sleeve concentrically surrounding said member and. having aper- Lturesarranged to-register with said grooves and movable relatively to saidmember, re,r

silient means connecting said clutch member and sleeve, an annularclutch memberjenclosing said-parts and'pr'ovided with aupluralmovedoutwardly and; to be locked insaid depressions upon relative movement.of said sleeve and clutch member. i

ity of longitudinaldepressions, anda'plural-Ie -ity of balls in saidgrooves arranged to be 2 V 3. In a clutch, thejcombinationwith anannular clutch member provided" with a" plu rality of circumferentiallyextending grooves increasing in depth from end to end, a sleevesurrounding said member and provided with a plurality of apertures arraned to register with said grooves, a surroun mg clutch member providedwith a plurality of depressions in its inner surface to register withsaid apertures and grooves, and means whereby upon rotation of saidsleeve the same is caused to rotate relatively to said clutch member tocause said balls to move for eifecting interlocking engagement betweensaid sleeve and surrounding clutch member.

4:. In a clutch, the combination with an annular clutch member providedwith a plurality of circumferentially extending grooves increasing indepth from end to end, of a sleeve surrounding said member and having aplurality of apertures registering with said grooves, clutch balls insaid grooves, a spring yieldingly connecting said clutch member andsleeve, and an outer annular clutch member surrounding said parts andprovided with depressions in its inner surface to receive said ballswhen said parts are in clutching engagement.

5. In a clutch, the combination with a driving member having a ball cagethereon provided with apertures through its cylindrical side and havingan inturned flange at one end, an annular clutch member enclosed withinsaid ball cage and provided with grooves registering with saidapertures, a spring connecting said flange and member, and a driven Vclutch member constructed to enclose said parts and having a pluralityof longitudinally extending depressions upon its inner surface to beengaged by said clutch balls when the clutch is so actuated as to effectlocking engagement between the driving and driven elements thereof.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 17th day ofSeptember A. D.

WALTER G. RUEGKART. ELMER B. ANDERSON.

